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Summary

The Bio Product Processor (BPP), developed by TCE Gofour, turns oil crops into high quality (semi) finished products through use of an enzymatic process. Often the crops on farmland that contain oil, like rapeseed or canola, hemp, soy beans and jatropha, go through a decentralized process. These crops come from the own harvest and can be used as raw material for the Bio Product Processor without any need for preparation.

Initially the Bio Product Processor will focus on rapeseed as raw material for the enzymatic process. Soon TCE Gofour will include other agricultural materials such as potatoes and beet. Future developments will include other alternative fuel sources like algae, sewer fat, animal fat and oil. The measurements of the BPP installations, which will be placed on the farmyard, are based on the size of a standard shipping container (TEU 20 feet). Depending on the procedure, the installation can be expanded by using other process containers. This gives a great amount of flexibility towards the end result.

The technical development of The BPP links to earlier successful projects developed by TCE Gofour. These projects have formed the basis for the application of enzymatic processes, which form a fundamental part in the BPP modules.

For example: 1. 2009, project “on board” processing waste in fisheries. Commissioned by Ministry of Agriculture aimed at upgrading fish waste into biodiesel and valuable dry matter; 2. As a derivative of point 1 provision SBIR contract from Agency NL for further elaboration of point 1; 3. 2010, as derived from point 2 providing second SBIR contract from the Ministry Agriculture. In 2012 concluded with a final report.

Because of the above developments, the extrapolation to the agricultural sector was a logical step. The provisional results of usability tests were promising and led to the development of the BPP.

Rapeseed was chosen as the initial raw material for the BPP because of the many benefits of this crop. First the ability to distill (semi)-finished products from rapeseed. Second, the environment friendly effect of rapeseed.

The environment friendly effects are: 1. Increased profit: Increased profit of cultivated plants through high organic matter build up in the rapeseed roots. As a result less fertilizer is needed. The profit of mainly wheat and corn, proved to increase by 15-30% after the rapeseed cultivation; 2. VIncreased biodiversity, flora and fauna: rapeseed is a crop that improves the development of bee populations. It also helps small game and poultry flourish; 3. Good crop exchange: By having an extra variety of crop the disease pressure will lower.

When the decentralizing process of the BPP is done, the rapeseed will be transformed into press cake, APPO and Glycerol. Because of these final results the BPP can produce electricity and heat.

After testing against common market prices it shows that this can result in a net chain profit of approximately €9000,- per hectare, depending on the process. In this estimate the yield increase of cultivated plants and the decrease in fertilizer use have not been calculated. This would mean a triple or quadruple yield compared to the present situation in the agricultural sector. Taking these number into account, combined with the investment in the installations there will be a fast return of investment.

A number of benefits of using the BPP is that farmers can provide their own energy needs when it comes to transport, electricity and heat. Which results in enormous reduction of expenses and independence from the energy market. Farmers become future-proof in a time where subsidies and benefits are shrinking. Aside from that, the financial benefit per hectare increases significantly, which makes the recoup period of the BPP short. In conclusion, this process will also lead to a significant drop in the CO2 footprint.